energy solutions
Balancing Power Needed
Isohaara hydroplant
H
istorically Pohjolan Voima started as a hydropower company. Like other energy companies, it utilized fossil fuels in the 1960s and 1970s. First oil, and then mainly coal. Nuclear energy came into picture through the ownership in Teollisuuden Voima in the 1970s and 1980s. At the turn of the millennium, Pohjolan Voima launched jointly with its shareholders an extensive construction program of biofuel-fired power plants and contributed to Teollisuuden Voima’s new nuclear power project. The company also built almost 50 MW of wind power. With so varied business approaches
Raasakka hydroplant
60
Business Finland 5/2011
and large scale power plants, the company is a major backbone of Finnish energy system. “Pohjolan Voima has changed along times. Today there is a permanent trend to reduce carbon dioxide, says CEO of Pohjolan Voima, Mr Lauri Virkkunen. “The share of carbon dioxidefree energy that we produced in 2009 was 70 percent, and it will grow to 90 percent in 2015, according to our estimates. We are the second biggest electricity producer in Finland and a significant company in producing district and industrial heat. Pohjolan Voima's electricity supply covers about 25 per cent of Finnish electricity consumption”
All in all, Pohjolan Voima has 42 power plants in Finland. Varied energy sources are really the cornerstone of business. “We have -for example - built 14 biofuel-fired power plants and the 15th is under construction.” The share of hydropower is still quite high, more than 7 percent. “There is not much potential to grow, but hydropower is an excellent balancing power tool, so we wish that sooner or later new water reservoirs and some smaller upgrade projects could be carried out. “The main reason for this is the increasing need for balancing power that will further boost the interest in hydropower. Pohjolan Voima will continue its ongoing hydropower plant renovation programme, intensify its operations and study the possibilities to increase production. Hydropower is a renewable, OL3 emission-free and cost-effective way of generating electricity. In addition, it is without a doubt the best source of balancing power.” Pohjolan Voima is also strong in developing nuclear power through Teollisuuden Voima, where Pohjolan Voima is the largest shareholder. “So, we also were involved in building two nuclear power reactors in Olkiluoto in the 1980s. Now the company is building the new 1600 MW reactor for the future needs. Nordic electricity market is a good example of co-operation needed.” “We have reliable transfer capacity between Finland and Russia and the capacity between Estonia and Finland as well as between Sweden and Finland will be raised with new links.”